This illustration shows NASAs Lunar Flashlight performing a trajectory correction maneuver with the Moon and Earth in the background. Powered by the small satellites four thrusters, the maneuver is needed to reach lunar orbit. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The group prepares to soon run the thrusters for a lot longer durations, hoping to clean out any possible thruster fuel line obstructions while bring out trajectory correction maneuvers that will keep the SmallSat on course to reach its organized orbit around the Moon. In case the propulsion system cant be brought back to complete performance, the mission team is drawing up alternative plans to achieve those maneuvers utilizing the propulsion system with its present reduced-thrust capability. Lunar Flashlight will require to carry out everyday trajectory correction maneuvers beginning in early February to reach lunar orbit about 4 months from now.
Diving low over the Moons surface area, the briefcase-size SmallSat will use a brand-new laser reflectometer developed with four near-infrared lasers to shine a light into the permanently shadowed craters at the lunar South Pole to find surface area ice. To achieve this goal with the minimal amount of propellant its built to bring, Lunar Flashlight will employ an energy-efficient near-rectilinear halo orbit, taking it within 9 miles (15 kilometers) of the lunar South Pole and 43,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) away at its farthest point.
Just one other spacecraft has actually utilized this type of orbit: NASAs Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) mission, which introduced in June 2022 to a various near-rectilinear halo orbit, the same one that is prepared for Gateway. CAPSTONE also experienced difficulties throughout its journey to the Moon, and a few of the NASA groups who helped the SmallSat reach its planned orbit are providing their expertise to help solve Lunar Flashlights thruster issues.
Infographic illustrating NRHO, Gateways unique near-rectilinear halo orbit. Credit: NASA
Managed by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, Lunar Flashlight is the very first interplanetary spacecraft to use a brand-new type of “green” propellant, called Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic (ASCENT), that is more secure to save and transport than the frequently used propellants such as hydrazine. One of the objectives main objectives is to demonstrate this innovation for future usage. The propellant was effectively evaluated with a previous NASA technology demonstration objective in Earth orbit.
Other systems on Lunar Flashlight are performing well, including the never-before-flown Sphinx flight computer system, established by JPL as a low-power, radiation-tolerant option for SmallSats. Performing as developed, Lunar Flashlights updated Iris radio– which is used to communicate with the Deep Space Network– includes a brand-new accuracy navigation ability that future little spacecraft will use to rendezvous and land on other solar system bodies. Extra new and groundbreaking systems, such as the objectives laser reflectometer, will be tested in the coming weeks prior to the objective goes into lunar orbit.
More About the Mission
Lunar Flashlight is handled for NASA by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a department of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California. The SmallSat is operated by Georgia Tech, consisting of graduate and undergraduate students. The Lunar Flashlight science group is led by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and consists of group members from multiple organizations, including the University of California, Los Angeles; Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; and the University of Colorado.
The SmallSats propulsion system was established by NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, with development and integration support from Georgia Tech. NASAs Small Business Innovation Research program funded part advancement from little companies including Plasma Processes Inc. (Rubicon) for thruster advancement, Flight Works for pump development, and Beehive Industries (formerly Volunteer Aerospace) for particular 3D-printed components. The Air Force Research Laboratory also contributed financially to the advancement of Lunar Flashlights propulsion system. Lunar Flashlight is funded by the Small Spacecraft Technology program within NASAs Space Technology Mission Directorate.
Lunar Flashlight will require to carry out daily trajectory correction maneuvers starting in early February to reach lunar orbit about 4 months from now.
Handled by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, Lunar Flashlight is the first interplanetary spacecraft to use a new kind of “green” propellant, called Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic (ASCENT), that is safer to keep and transfer than the commonly utilized propellants such as hydrazine. Lunar Flashlight is handled for NASA by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California. The Lunar Flashlight science team is led by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and consists of team members from multiple organizations, including the University of California, Los Angeles; Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; and the University of Colorado.
Lunar Flashlight is funded by the Small Spacecraft Technology program within NASAs Space Technology Mission Directorate.
This artists idea shows the briefcase-sized Lunar Flashlight spacecraft utilizing its near-infrared lasers to shine light into shaded polar areas on the Moon to try to find water ice. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The objective is characterizing its brand-new “green” propulsion system and establishing a modified plan for the briefcase-size satellites journey to the Moon.
NASAs Lunar Flashlight mission effectively released on December 11, 2022, to start its four-month journey to the Moon, where the small satellite, or SmallSat, will test several brand-new technologies with an objective of looking for hidden surface area ice at the lunar South Pole. While the SmallSat is mainly healthy and interacting with NASAs Deep Space Network, the objective operations team has actually discovered that 3 of its four thrusters are underperforming.
The objective group, which initially observed the reduced thrust three days after launch, is working to examine the problem and provide possible services. During its cruise, Lunar Flashlights propulsion system has run for short-duration pulses of up to a couple of seconds at a time. Based upon ground testing, the team believes that the underperformance may be brought on by obstructions in the fuel lines that might be limiting the propellant circulation to the thrusters.
